Grinding-mill-feeding mechanism.



W. P. CARSON. GRINDING MILL FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. n. 1915.

Patented 060.19, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOBRAFH Cm. WASHING-mu. n. c.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 11' I915.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

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GRINDING-NIILL-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 11915.

Application filed March 11, 1915. Serial No. 13,672.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NILFRED P. CARSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at l Vinston-Salem, in the county of F orsyth and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grinding-Mill-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in attachments for grain grinding mills, or what are commonly called corn or grist mills; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred embodiment or mechanical expression of my invention from among other forms, arrangements, and combinations within the spirit and scope thereof.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for feeding the grain to the mill and at the same time separating foreign material and objectionable matter from the grain, whereby the grain while being transferred from the mill hopper to the grinding surfaces will be cleansed of objectionable and foreign matter likely to cause injury to the grinding surfaces or to lower the quality of the meal.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide certain improvements in vibrating shoes for corn and other grist mills.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in mechanism for vibrating the shoes of grist mills.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in. details of construction and in arrangements of parts for the production of an advantageous and improved grist mill.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forth hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure l, is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a grinding mill having a feeding and cleaning attachment embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is a detail perspective of the shoe, having its double screen swung upwardly to position for cleaning or repair. Fig. 3, is a top plan view of the mill, the hopper being removed. Fig.4, is a detail perspective. Fig. 5, is adetail end view of the shoe looking at the discharge end thereof.

' In the drawings, I show any suitable corn or other grain grinding mill, preferably of the horizontal-spindle vertically-rotating bur type, having any suitable source of grain supply, usually a hopper, terminating in a depending spout or nozzle 6, from which the grain falls byvgravity onto a suitable inclined vibrating shoe arranged above the mill casing l. The grain travels down the shoe and in the instance illustrated, falls from the rear end thereof into means arranged beyond one end of the mill casing and designed to deliver the grain into the feed passage 3, of the mill, through which the grain is forced by worm 5, to the grind ing faces of the stones or burs. The worm 5, is carried by the mill spindle 2, which also carries and drives the rotary stone or bur of the mill.

Any suitable driving means, such as p11lley 2 can be provided for rotating the mill spindle 2.

The shoe is arranged above the mill casing and is longitudinally inclined from its grain receiving end to its discharge end. This shoe can be supported and vibrated in any desirable manner and by any suitable means. In the example illustrated, I show improved and advantageous means for vibrating the shoe and upholding its rear end. The means for this purpose comprises a bracket 6, fixed to and projecting from the mill casing; a vertically swingable rocker or elbow lever 7 mounted on and carried by said bracket; a U-shaped plate spring 8, forming the opera tive connection between the upright arm of said lever and the rear end of the shoe; an eccentric on the rear end of the spindle 2, having its eccentric strap 9, provided with upright pitman 10, operatively coupled to the horizontal arm of lever 7, by a balland socket coupling 11'.

The upper arm of the spring 8, is fixed to the bottom of the rear end of the shoe and the rear end of the shoe is upheld thereby.

The spring extends rearwardlv from the shoe and curves downwardly in approximately U-shape and its lower arm depends from the curved portion and is fixed to the upright arm of the elbow lever 7.

The elbow lever is rocked by the eccentric and pitman and the desired vibration of the shoe is thereby attained through the yielding or spring connection 8. The spring connection is advantageous in this arrangement. Theball and socket connection 11 is At its receiving end, the shoe is also advantageous in a mill of this character as it permits certain desired adjustments of themill spindle 2. The pitman 10, can have the ball on its upper end while the horizontal arm of the elbow lever is formed of separable members, each having a depression to receive the ball so that when said members are bolted together,'the ball will be loosely confined between them and in said depressions. This shoe comprises a vertically disposed upwardly extending edge wall 12, that surrounds the shoe except at its discharge end, and an imperforate flat bottom or floor 13, to which said wall is secured. provided with an imperforate top plate 14, onto which the grain from the spout 6, falls. A relatively coarse or large mesh screen surface 15, forms a downward continuation of said plate 15, and extends therefrom longitudinally of the shoe to the discharge end thereof. This screen has openings large enough for the passage of the grain and is designed to prevent the passage therethrough of cobs, foreign bodies, and particles of greater dimensions than the grain and hence toseparate the same from the grain and cause discharge thereof from the discharge edge of the screen. Below said large mesh screen 15, is arranged a usually parallel fine screen or screening surface 16, having openings too small for 'thepassage of the grain but of suflicient size for the passage of particles, substances, and dirt of smaller size than the grain which it is desirable to separate from the grain. These small foreign particles droponto the shoe bottom 13, and pass down thereon and drop from the shoe at the discharge end thereof while the grain passes down the fine screen and drops from the discharge end or edge thereof.

The top and fine screens are arranged longitudinally of the shoe and are spaced a distance apart, and the fine screen is spaced a distance from the bottom of the shoe. The screens are secured to and carried by a suitable frame 17, forming a single double screen and this double screen fits down between the longitudinal sides of wall 12, and is vertically swingable through the medium of one or more hinges 1S, connecting the upper end of the screen to the top grain scattering and distributing plate 14.

The grain receiving space between the two screening surfaces 15, 16, is closed at the discharge end of the shoe, and the grain finds its outlet from said space through a hole or opening 19, in the rear end portion of screening surface 16. This hole 19, is preferably arranged midway the width of the screen and the edge walls of said space usually converge at the rear portion of the double screen to guide the grain to said opening. This discharge hole 19, is aimed with adischarge opening 20, through the rear end of the floor 13, of the shoe. In the example illustrated, the opening 20, is formed by a central slot or notch opening through the rear edge of said floor. The foreign material traveling down the shoe fioor 13, is prevented from entering the grain discharge 20, by a breast wall or deflector 21, rising from said iioor and at its upper edge engaging screen 16, around three sides of the opening 19, therein. This wall 21, is approximately U-shape with its opposite sides spaced from the wall 12, to form two side discharge passages 22, from the screen fioor and leading to the discharge or rear edge thereof. The rear end of the top screen 15, is also provided with a central elevated block or deflector 23. to form two side discharge passages to the rear end edge of said screen so that the foreign matter or refuse from screen 15, will be discharged from the shoe in the same vertical lines as the refuse or foreign material from the floor of the shoe, and these vertical lines will be remote from the vertical line in which the grain drops from the shoe.

The rear or discharge end of the shoe projects beyond an end face of the mill casing and into a box or housing 24, fixed to said casing. The floor of this housing supports the lower or discharge end of the shoe and said end of the shoe slides back and forth thereon. This floor is preferablv provided with an elevation or rib 25, on which the bottom face of the shoe floor 13, rests and slides. This floor is formed with a discharge opening 26, registering with the grain outlet 20, in the bottom of the shoe, and the floor is also formed or otherwise provided with a depending vertical pipe or passageway 27, receiving the grain from opening 26, and guiding the same into the mill feed passage 3. At its outer corners the housing is formed or otherwise provided with depending discharge pipes or lines 28, at their upper ends opening through the floor to receive the refuse discharged from the opposite side passages from screen 15 and floor 13.

The grain receiving opening 26 is centrally arranged between the side walls of the housing and near the front edge of the floor so that the shoe discharge 20, will always register therewith. The receiving or open upper ends of the refuse pipes 28, however, are located at the outer rear corners of the housing and remote from said opening 26. The floor of the housing is formed with a rigid elevated abutment or block 29, between the open upper ends of pipes 28, and formed to fit in the outer end of the notch 20 in the shoe, to hold the shoe centered while reciprocating and to close the rear side of opening 20, against rearward movement of grain therefrom as well as against entrance of refuse thereto. The rear end of the shoe in effect straddles this block 29, and the under side of the front end of the double screen approximately slides back and forth on the top surface thereof.

The refuse from the screen 15, 13, is discharged rearwardly from the shoe beyond the opposite sides of this block and hence the rear upper portion 30, of the block to the rear of the shoe and between the open upper ends of the pipes 28, is preferably beveled in opposite directions toward said open ends to guide the refuse thereinto. The corners of the upright wall of the lions ing are also preferably bulged outwardly to form funnels or guides 31, in approximate upward continuation of pipes 28, to confine therefuse and guide the same to the pipes.

The upper end of the flue or passage 27, is fixed to the housing and its lower end can be formed to fit a top opening in the outer end of a casting forming the mill feed or supply passage 3, while the pipes 28 are spaced a distance apart and arranged to the rear of the vertical plane of the flue 27, to discharge the refuse at remote points or into any suitable receptacles to prevent scattering thereof. These pipes 28, can thus extend down at opposite sides of the mill spindle and to points near the floor.

Advantages are attained by hinging the upper end of the double screen to the fixed imperforate grain distributing floor 14-, of the shoe as the screen is thereby held fixed against downward longitudinal movement in the shoe during the vibration of the shoe, and as the screen can be swung upwardly without disturbing the position of the shoe with respect to the supply hopper and the casing receiving the lower end of the shoe, and while the mill is in operation. The screen can thus be swung to an elevated position, without stoppingthe operation of the mill, to permit cleaning the screen and the floor of the shoe or to permit the insertion of a sheet or plate over the floor of the shoe when it is desired to use the mill for grinding wheat or other small grain of such size as to pass through the lower screen 16.

The box or housing 24, supports the outer or lower end of the shoe and provides offtake passages for the grain and refuse from the shoe, and it will be observed that the upright wall of this housing is so arranged that the operator can reach down in the housing and grasp the lower end of the double screen and swing this screen to an elevated position without disturbing the position of the shoe in the housing. The fixed grain distributing floor 14 of the shoe is arranged directly below the discharge spout of the grain supply hopper so that the double screen hinged to this floor 14, can swing upwardly while the shoe is in operative position.

In order to remove foreign material and and floor defective'kernels that may have enteredflue 27, with the grain, I provide means for discharging an air blast transversely across the interior of flue 27', at a point intermediate its ends. To this end I utilize the mill spindle 2, by securing a fan 31, on the projecting rear end ofsaid spindle, and providing fan casing 32, for said fan. This casin can be fixed to the mill box or casing and has a discharge pipe orflue provided with elbow 33, coupled to nipple 34, opening into the flue 27 between its upper'and lower ends and if desired formed integral therewith and extending horizontally therefrom. The opposite side of thefiue 27, is formed with an outletor discharge opening or a discharge nozzle or pipe 35, which if so desired can be formed integral with the flue 27. This discharge is usually inclined upwardly and has a downturned outlet 36.

The fan casing is shown arranged in rear of the refuse discharge spouts 28, and the air flue extends from the upper part of the casing and is deflected laterally and extends forwardly to avoid one of said-fiues and to enter one side of the grain pipe 27, to discharge an air blast directly across said pipe and out through discharge35. The blast will carry off light imperfect kernels, silk and foreign matter through discharge 35, and important advantages are thereby attained.

Material advantages are attained by arranging eliicient grain cleaning and fanning means between the grain supply 6, and the feed supply passage of a grain or corn mill as the gran]. is thus automatically cleaned while being fed from the supply nozzle into the mill and hence the employment of separate cleaning machines is avoided.

It is evident that various changes, modifications, and additions mightbe resorted to without departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosures hereof. vWhat I claim is 1. A feed shoe for grinding mills comprising a fixed plate to receive the grain from the hopper, a double screen hinged to said plate and embodying a coarse top screen for the passage of the grain and an under line screen for the passage of material smaller than the grain, said shoe having a central discharge for the grain and discharges on opposite sides from the central discharge for the material screened from the grain.

2. Grinding mill feeding mechanism comprising a screening shoe adapted to receive the grain from the millhopper and at its laterally projecting discharge end having a longitudinal central notch providing a grain outlet and outlets for screenings arranged in advance of the grain outlet, and a spout arranged exteriorly of the mill and embodying a top Web and vertical Wall and a pair of depending spaced vertical fines to receive the screenings-"from the shoe and a central vertical fine to receive the grain from the shoe, said spout having an elevated deflector between the-upper ends of the vertical fines of said pair and a-guard extending into said notch of the shoe.

3. A: shoe for grain mills comprising a floor and an upright edge wall, a fixed elevatedrmember to IBCGIVQ' the grain, and a vertically'svvingable double screen-at its upper end hinged to said member and normally arranged Within said wall and over said floor to receive the grain from said member, said screen having discharge passages for grain and; refuse.

. 4. Grindingmill feeding mechanism comrisin a floor havin a central rain dis- P a charge through its lower end portion and a guard on said floor forming longitudinal side discharge passages at opposite sides of said grain discharge, a fixed elevated plate at the upper end of the shoe to receive the grain discharged onto the shoe, and a vertically-swingable double screen at its upper end hinged to the lower end of said plate and embodying an upper screening surface to receive the grain from said plate, a deflector centrally arranged on the upper surface of the lower end of said upper screening surface to form longitudinal side Copies of this patent may be obtained for discharge passages therefrom directly above said side passages on said floor, and a lower screening surface closed at its lower end and having a central discharge passage registering with said central grain discharge through the floor.

6. In combination, in a grain mill, a housing having depending separate grain and refuse off take passages and an upright wall, an inclined vibratory shoe at its lower end arranged in resting on and upheld by said housing and having discharge passages delivering grain and refuse to said off-take passages, and operating and supporting means applied to the upper end of the shoe, said shoe embodying a fixed plate to receive the grain discharged onto the shoe, and a vertically swingable double screen hinged to said plate and arranged to receive the grain and refuse therefrom, substantially as described.

7. In combination, in a grain mill, a housing having a floor and a vertical wall, said floor having an approximately central grain discharge passage and refuse off-take passages spaced forwardly from said grain discharge passage, said floor also having guarding means arranged between the inlet ends of said grain discharge passage and said refuse passages, an inclined vibratory shoe at its lower end arranged in and upheld by said housing and having a grain discharge alined with said grain discharge passage and having advanced refuse discharges to said refuse olftake passages, and operating and supporting means applied to the upper end of the shoe.

In testimony whereof I afiix my in presence of two witnesses.

VVILFRED P. CARSON.

signature lVitnesses:

L. A. WADE, R. L. CARSON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

